I got the stand off Amazon, it got really good reviews and was pretty cheap. The box it comes in definitely makes you think its gonna be total junk, but I have been pleasantly surprised so far. feels to be of decent quality, I wouldn't call it "shop" quality necessarily, but that reflects the price. one review i read said the the clamp especially, is less easy to use than the parktool. I have no comparison, but its done all that I've asked it to so... no complaints.

Some nice modern brake levers and microshift 9 speed barcons. I opened them at the dinner table after dinner to oohs and ahhs from my boys. My wife was all WTH LOL RME.

EDIT: That was yesterday. This.... was today....

Wow. Part of a pay-it-forward experience... this was supposed to be a pump and some DT shifters!

I'm putting together a miracle build for a buddy of mine who is one of those all around awesome dudes who deserve this kind of Karma--- and here it is. Karma in a box, most of what I need to complete his build, even grey housing that will look amazing on the maroon and grey 500 Series Trek I got for him. Plus other bits that are exactly what a few of my other builds have been waiting for. Amazing.

Last edited by Standalone; 01-08-14 at 04:31 PM.

The bicycle, the bicycle surely, should always be the vehicle of novelists and poets. Christopher Morley

A few days ago, a package arrived, from Nordstrom's.
Of course, my wife was sure it was for her.
She opened it, and it was a red Brooks Challenge bag and red Brooks bar wrap.
(Kudos to Chicago Al for the heads up.)

She just looked at me. I said "but honey, they were half price at Nordstrom's!" I found that absolutely hilarious.
She either failed to see the humor in the role reversal, or doesn't like it when the overpriced shoe is on the other foot!

Looking on the bright side, I won't be forced (or allowed) to wander Nordstrom's any more while she shops.
Now all I have to do is find a matching saddle. And maybe a bike to put them on.

Raleigh Comp, which stand is that? I'm in the market for a stand. I already have a Park, and I need a second.

Tom,
I bought this one for my son. It needed to be able to fold up pretty small because he doesn't have a lot of room in his Air Force dorm. Though it is not as heavy duty as a Park, it is actually pretty nice. The price was right too.

Normally I am interested in bigger scales (1/20th and 1/12th), but I've only seen this particular Ferrari offered by one other manufacturer in 1/20th curbside (no engine/chassis detail). I like detail, the more the better, so curbside models don't interest me.

What it looks like when completed:

The plus side is that something this small can be 95% completed using brush paints; only the body will require spray/airbrushing.

Normally I am interested in bigger scales (1/20th and 1/12th), but I've only seen this particular Ferrari offered by one other manufacturer in 1/20th curbside (no engine/chassis detail). I like detail, the more the better, so curbside models don't interest me.

What it looks like when completed:

The plus side is that something this small can be 95% completed using brush paints; only the body will require spray/airbrushing.

A couple of nifty things came recently. Two 107mm bottom brackets for my stash*, a NOS 14-16-18-21-24 SunTour Perfect freewheel that I couldn't say "no" to, and the latest issue of American Randonneur:

Normally I am interested in bigger scales (1/20th and 1/12th), but I've only seen this particular Ferrari offered by one other manufacturer in 1/20th curbside (no engine/chassis detail). I like detail, the more the better, so curbside models don't interest me.

What it looks like when completed:

The plus side is that something this small can be 95% completed using brush paints; only the body will require spray/airbrushing.

DD

Holy cow DD, you must really have a lot of patience and skill to tackle a model like that, but from what we've seen with the drillium masterpieces you produced through the years, this Tameo's a slam dunk for you! Please post pics of the model after you are done building it!
Me on the other hand, I'm just lazy and my modeling skills never amounted to much after I gave up building plastic models after college.
So I was glad when pre-built diecast models like this 1:18 Ferrari 312T4 from Exoto came up conveniently during the dot com boom when I had much more discretionary funds to spend on such things....
The 1:43 above it was made by Minichamps/PMA.
The 312T4 (which the T5 was of course, derived from) was always one of my favorite GP cars from Ferrari after years of watching it win with Villeneuve and Scheckter on the wheel in the 80's. The Renaults were definitely starting to beat hard on Ferrari, but I just cannot be as excited about a then new tech turbo V6 compared to Ferrari's awesome flat 12....